When an aircraft is parked on the ground, the ground staff in charge of aircraft servicing has to carry out a number of duties such as e.g. supplying power to the aircraft, discharging waste water and filling up water and compressed air.
Electrical power supply is generally achieved via an electrical cable assembly. A first end of the cable assembly is connected to a ground power supply unit and the second end is plugged into a receptacle in the body of the airplane. The cable assembly is typically stored in a storage device, such as e.g. a reel, from which it can be unwound, while the first end of the cable assembly remains connected to the ground power supply. Such a storage device, described e.g. in U.S. Pat. No. 4,730,089, is generally located at or close to the passenger bridge and allows to keep the cable assembly off the ground and out of the way of planes or other vehicles until it is needed. It also allows the cable assembly to be supported as it is pulled out to a waiting aircraft. When the cable assembly is needed to supply power to an aircraft, it is pulled from the storage device, across the apron and plugged into the aircraft by a ground technician. The latter then has to turn on a switch either located about the plug or near the cable storage device to apply a voltage to the cable assembly so that power is supplied to the aircraft. When the aircraft has been serviced, the technician turns off the power, disconnects the cable from the aircraft, and operates a motor at the storage device to retract the cable assembly thereto.
Unfortunately, when the cable assembly is stored in the above described storage device, connection of an aircraft to the power supply is often too time consuming. Indeed, when the cable assembly is pulled from the storage device, it frequently gets stuck in the storage device, e.g. due to twisting. The ground technician thus has to walk back to the storage device to take care of the problem, before continuing with the connection.
Moreover, depending on the type of aircraft, the technician may have difficulties in connecting the cable assembly to the aircraft, principally because the connection has to be done at a relatively high level above ground. This again results in a waste of time.
Furthermore, it is to be noted that storing the cable in such a storage device causes a rapid wear of the cable. Indeed, whether the cable is pulled from the storage device or retracted thereto, it is always dragged on the ground. This causes extensive abrasion of the cable assembly, which thus needs to be replaced regularly for safety reasons.
These problems of handling, storage, connection and wear encountered with electric cables are similar with the hoses used to connect the aircraft to ground units such as water supply unit, compressed air unit and waste water collecting unit.
WO 99/36316 discloses an aircraft refueling cart, which includes a chassis with wheels and a refueling platform upon which an operator can stand. The platform is mounted to the chassis by a scissor-action mechanism, so as to vary the height of the platform. The cart further includes a short-length hydrant hose, which is removably supported around the periphery of the cart in its rest position. Fuel is supplied to the cart via this hydrant hose and is further conveyed to the aircraft via a boom and fuel hose. On the cart, the fuel supplied by the hydrant hose flows through a surge suppressor, a filter and a fuel meter, before entering the boom. The cart further includes a hose reel on which a hose is wound. This hose has a first end connected downstream of the fuel meter and an opposite, free second end.